


gold love

by softwheeze



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mermaid!Ryan, Mermaids, Pining, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, mergara if you will, rip curly, shane goes down to the cape for vacation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-10-10 18:49:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20532854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softwheeze/pseuds/softwheeze
Summary: Shane looked up from his moping --and then back down again-- to see a boy looking up at him with big, distressed eyes. “Can you help me?” He asks, voice shaky and nervous, like he didn’t really know how to approach him. Shane couldn’t help but notice how the boy’s eyes shimmered in the beachy sunlight, big and beautiful.And then-- oh, and then-- he lifted his, histailout of the water.Histail.___Shane is a dumbass on vacation, Ryan is a mermaid. They fall in love.





	1. the boy

**Author's Note:**

> i just finished this now, and it's been in my docs for months. hope i got the time to finish this! enjoy c:

When sophomore year ended for Shane Madej, he was absolutely overjoyed to be out of the stress that came with school and grades and girls. He’d have a whole two and a half months of pure freedom.

He was not, however, overjoyed when his parents told him that they were spending the whole summer in their house on Cape Cod. 

“How can we even afford the house? Probably should just… sell it or something.” Shane grumbled as his mother was packing her stuff.

“Shane, this is your grandparents’ house. We can’t just sell it!” His mother replied.

“Why not?!”

“_It’s not ours!_”

Shane rolled his eyes. “Why do we even have to go? I wanted to spend the summer with Curly, and actually stay in Schaumburg. It’s our home.”

“Shane, honey, we go to the Cape every summer. It is our home. Why are you so protestant all of a sudden?” His mother looked at him in confusion and exasperation.

“Cape Cod is boring.”

“You never want to make any friends, Shane!” His mother exclaimed. She handed Shane his duffel bag. “We’re going, and you are going as well, and that’s that.”

Shane wasn’t in the mood to argue anymore, so he just walked to his room and shut the door.

So alas, Shane Madej and the rest of his family headed off to the Cape for the summer. And it was a summer that Shane would not forget.

𓆉

Shane groaned as he set his bags on his new room’s bed. It was a nice room. Painted a light blue, with paintings of the beach, yada yada. It looked like a beach house bedroom, and honestly? Shane wasn’t complaining. At least, not about the house.

His grandparents’ house was _huge_. Houses on the coast always were. There was an extension done a couple years ago, and it had a room for his grandpa and grandma, his parents, Scott, and himself, and it had at least one or two guest bedrooms as well. It, while being very big, was very quaint and cozy as well. Shane liked it, and he’d probably enjoy his time here if not for his lack of friends.

Shane started to unpack his clothes when his grandmother walked in. “Shane!” She exclaimed, startling him. 

“Gosh, Nana, you scared me!”

She chuckled, “Sorry, hon. I’m just so excited for this summer, I haven’t seen you all year!” Shane loved his Nana, really, he did, but her constant optimism could get tiring at some times.

Shane shrugged. “I’m not too excited about it.” He started opening the drawers of the dresser and putting clothes in them.

“Well, why not?” His Nana asked, “I thought you loved it here!”

“I don’t really have any… friends?” Shane confessed. “Not much happens around here, either. I just wanted to be with my friends back at Schaumburg.”

His Nana rolled her eyes playfully. “A new family moved in for the summer next door! I think they have a kid about your age.”

“They won’t like me.”

“Why not?” Asked his Nana for the second time, “I think you’re lovely.”

“That’s because you’re my Nana!” Shane answered, “I’m… secluded. I dunno.”

His Nana laughed, “Oh, Shane. There are so many kids in this neighborhood. I’m sure you’ll find some friends.”

Shane doubted it, but nevertheless he said, “Okay, thank you, Nana.”

“You’re welcome, Shane.” She smiled, “Oh, and did I tell you about the mermaids on the beach?”  
Shane nearly choked on his own spit. “What?”

“Yes!” His Nana said, “Some people are saying they’re seeing mermaids out on the ocean by the beach. Isn’t that crazy?”

Shane scoffed. “Nana, you don’t _believe_ those people, do you?”

His Nana shrugged, “Well, Shane, I believe they saw something. Mermaids could be real, you never know. And who knows?” She grinned, “Maybe they’re super handsome.”

Shane gasped, “_Nana!_” While she just laughed.

“Okay, Shane, I’m gonna leave you to your stuff. I’ll see you at dinner, okay?”

“Okay, Nana.”

“I love you, Shane.”

“Love you too, Nana.”

And with that, his Nana closed the door and Shane was left with a lot to think about.

𓆉

“Shane, you spent all day yesterday inside the house, on your phone. Why don’t you go to the beach?” Shane’s mother popped into Shane’s bedroom, frowning.

Shane sighed, “Do I have to, ma?”

“It’s a nice day out, mister. Get some sun! You don’t have to swim, just enjoy it! You can’t spend all summer moping.”

“Uh, yes I can.”

“Uh, no, you can’t!” She exclaimed, “And you’d better make some friends this summer, Shane. It’s not gonna be fun if you don’t.”

She didn’t hear Shane’s “It’s not gonna be fun either way!” Because she was already on her way down the stairs.

Shane sat up from the not-his bed in his not-his bedroom and walked out of the door of not-his house, on the way to the beach. This summer probably was not going to be very fun, but hell if he wasn’t gonna try to make it that way.

𓆉

Shane winced as his toes touched the icy cold water, a contrast to the super-hot sand. He continued to wade through the water, thinking. His mother had mentioned that there was a family that lived next to his, and there was a girl who was his age. Maybe he could make some friends? Shane doubted it. _But, there’s no harm in trying,_ he thought begrudgingly.

When Shane was just below his knees in the water, he noticed a reddish-colored boulder, standing just a couple of feet away from him. Fuck it, he thought, and climbed up on the boulder. Maybe someone would notice him if he acted dramatic and sad enough and he could make a friend so that his mother would stop nagging his ass. Shane stared down at his knees, sighing a weary sigh. He wasn’t good at this. He wasn’t the best at social situations, and definitely not around potential friends or strangers. He was never going to make any friends at this rate.

…

“Hey, mister!”

Shane looked up from his moping --and then back down again-- to see a boy looking up at him with big, distressed eyes. “Can you help me?” He asks, voice shaky and nervous, like he didn’t really know how to approach him. Shane couldn’t help but notice how the boy’s eyes shimmered in the beachy sunlight, big and beautiful.  
And then-- oh, and then-- he lifted his, his _tail_ out of the water. 

His _tail._

Shane wanted to scream but the noise died in his throat as it closed up at the sight. It was a light sea-green, gradienting lighter at the tip. He noticed it had a big piece of plastic stuck in it. The tail was bleeding. Was that scientifically possible?

After gawking for a moment, Shane stuttered, “Is. Is this a prank?”

The boy tilted his head, confused. “What’s a prank?”

“Seriously, dude, just take the tail off.” Shane scoffed. “No one’s falling for it.”

“Well, I can’t take my tail off, so that wouldn’t work.” The boy pouted, and-- _oh,_ wasn’t that an adorable sight? “Please, just help me!”

Shane sighed. “Fucking- fine, I’ll help you. Want me to take it out?” The boy nodded. “Okay.” He patted the boulder he was sitting on. “Put your- put your _tail_ up here.”

The boy obeyed, and _Jesus Christ._ The tail, it looked _real_. It shimmered in the sunlight. The scales were so pretty, Shane forgot how to breathe properly for a moment.

“Are you just gonna stare at it?” The boy asked, sliding his butt onto the boulder. “Because, I can get someone else to-”

“No, uh, I, I got it.” Shane interrupted him, maybe just a little too quickly. _Stupid pretty boy and his stupid pretty tail,_ he thought bitterly. Just his luck he’d be getting pranked by a gorgeous boy. He expected any moment for him to say, “Haha, bitch! I got you!” Or something like that, but the boy just smiled shyly at Shane and it made him want to shrink into a ball of gay and die.

Shane, after a bit of struggle, gently pulled the piece of plastic out from the boy’s tail and threw it into the water. The boy winced, and then flapped his tail a little. Then he looked at Shane with a grin so big and bright he probably needed to use sunglasses to see it. “Thank you, thank you so much!” He exclaimed, and then he proceeded to throw his arms around Shane.

Jesus. Shane tried to get it together. He chuckled nervously, lightly putting his arms on the boy’s back, “Uhm, yeah, man. Uh, it’s no problemo.” 

The boy pulled back and smiled again, and Shane finally got to get a good look at the boy’s face. He was tan, and had black, wispy hair that looked extremely soft. Shane almost wanted to reach out and run his hand through that hair. His eyes were a deep amber, and his lips were, on account of Shane’s Big Dumb Gay Brain, very kissable. He’d just met this guy, and Shane was already in way too deep. As they kept staring at each other, the boy’s smile seemed to grow wider and wider.

“So, does my savior have a name?” He asked goofily.

“I dunno, does the boy with a fake tail have a name?”

“It is not fake!” He crossed his arms, flapping his tail around a bit in defense.

“Are you sure?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Prove it!” Shane crossed his arms like a defensive child.

“Fine,” The boy retorted, and dived underwater. Shane leaned over to look, and to his surprise, the boy took a big breath in, and a big breath out. And then he jumped back up to the surface. “See?” He said with a smug smile, “I can breathe underwater. I heard folk like you couldn’t do that.”

Shane, stunned, answered, “Uh, no, we can’t.”

The boy just laughed. “You’re a funny guy. Oh!” He sat back up on the boulder next to Shane, “My name is Ryan, by the way.” 

He smiled one of his brilliant smiles, and Shane felt heat rising to his cheeks as he said, “I’m Shane. Uh… Shane Madej.”

“Shane Madej,” Ryan said, slowly, as if he was trying the name out on his tongue. “I’ve never talked to a human before.” He added, his eyes full of wonder as he stared up at Shane. Shane just felt hotter and hotter under Ryan’s gaze. This went on for a couple of moments until Ryan’s expression turned from wonderous to startled. “Oh, gosh,” He said. “I think my dad is calling me.”

Shane frowned. “I don’t hear anything.”

“Well, we probably have better hearing than you, silly!” The merman rolled his eyes and smiled at Shane. “I’m not allowed to be this close to the shore. I gotta go, see ya!” He slid back into the water when Shane reached out his arm.

“Wait!” He exclaimed. Ryan looked up at him. “When will you come back here?”

“Come back? Of course I’ll come back!” Ryan exclaimed. He seemed deep in thought for a moment when he responded, “Maybe I’ll come back tomorrow. I like you, Shane Madej. I wanna see you again.” He smiled and waved, diving back into the water. Shane watched him for a long time before finally remembering to blink. Ryan didn’t even say what time tomorrow. 

Shane got up from the rock and looked around. The beach was still barren and empty. He checked his watch; it was around noon. He desperately wanted to see Ryan again, but he knew he’d have to wait.

When Shane walked back to his house in a great mood, smiling when he walked into the kitchen, his mother found it quite amusing. 

“You seem happy,” She commented as he sat down at a chair on the kitchen island. “Meet a cute boy today?”

Shane smiled again and sighed. “Something like that.”

The room was quiet for a few nice minutes, and it gave time for Shane to just think about the merman again and again. Shane could barely wait to see him again, even though it had only been 15 minutes. 

But his thoughts were interrupted once there was a loud _knock, knock, knock_ on the door.

“Oh! That’s them!” His mother said.

“Who’s them?” Shane asked.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you! I invited our neighbors over for dinner, since they just bought the house next to ours this year. They have a girl your age, Shane! Why don’t you go answer the door?” Shane’s mother asked.

Sighing, Shane went to open the door. In front of him there was a girl with short curly hair and glasses, smiling up at him.

“Hi!” She exclaimed. “My name’s Sara, what’s yours?”


	2. the neighbor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> shane meets a new friend. more wild things occur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy this chapter! it was a fuckin doozy trying to get through it!  
hopefully the next chapter will be out sooner. It'll be a lot more fun to write. <3

“Uh, Shane.” Shane answered, almost taken aback at Sara’s energy. 

His mother came up behind him and smiled, “Oh, you must be Sara. Are your parents going to be here soon?”

“Yeah,” she said, “They’re on their way!”

“Alright, then. Shane, why don’t you take Sara up to your room?” Shane’s mother returned to what she was cooking, and Shane turned back to Sara. They stared at each other for a moment before Shane blinked and stepped aside, letting Sara into the house.

“C’mon,” he said, “my room’s upstairs.” Sara smiled wide and silently followed him to his room.

When they got there, Sara looked around at all his items and posters and tokens around his room with wide, interested eyes. “Wow, your room’s really cool,” she remarked, “Do you live here year-round?”

Shane shook his head. “Nah, my family just comes here every summer. It’s nice, I guess.” He stared out of the window. The sky was cloudy. It looked like it was going to rain.

“You guess?” Sara exclaimed. “My family just moved, and we’re gonna live here year-round!” She sounded proud of this fact. “We moved from California, and it’s nice there and stuff, but honestly, the Cape is so cool!”

“Southern California?”

“Yup! Los Angeles, to be specific.”

Shane hummed. “I’ve been there a couple times. It’s nice.”

“Isn’t it?” Sara agreed, “But I like the Cape much more. I like the vibes.”

Shane held back a laugh, he didn’t want to be rude. “The.. the vibes?”

“You heard me! I just like the feeling of being in a place like this gives me. I don’t know how to describe it, it’s just nice.”

“I guess you can always appreciate that salty breeze,” Shane supposed, and Sara nodded in agreement.

“Exactly.” The two of them sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Sara spoke again. “So… what do you like to do?”

“Like, as in my hobbies?” Sara nodded. “Well… I like to sing sometimes, I guess. I love horror movies, and I love hotdogs and popcorn? But those aren’t really hobbies. I play the ukulele sometimes, so that’s fun. Oh!” He added, “And I like to swim.”

Sara smiled. “I like to draw.”

“Oh? What do you draw?” Shane asked.

Sara shrugged. “My style is a little different, I dunno. Kinda surrealist? Other times I just draw characters from movies I like.” She smiled at him. It was a nice smile. Shane decided that he quite liked Sara Rubin.

“So, how was your day? Since you got here.” Sara continued, trying to keep the conversation going.

“Well, we just got here this afternoon, but so far it’s been pretty good.” Shane answered. He thought about Ryan. His pretty face and his ridiculous, beautiful tail. He could hear Sara talking, but at this point all he could concentrate on was his encounter with the merman. Ryan, Ryan, Ryan. Shane couldn’t wait until he saw Ryan again.

“Shane?” Shane blinked to see that Sara was waving a hand in front of his face. 

He startled and felt his cheeks get warm. “Sorry, I was thinking,” He mumbled, embarrassed.

Sara hummed. “What about?” She asked.

“Uh… it’s kinda… secret.” Shane looked anywhere but into Sara’s eyes.

“Well, we’re gonna be friends, right?” Sara asked. Shane hesitated for a moment, then nodded. They were gonna be next-door neighbors for the whole summer, right? And Sara seemed nice. Being friends couldn’t hurt. “And friends tell each other all their secrets, right?” She was raising her eyebrows teasingly at Shane, and Shane finally sighed and caved.

“Fine, but you gotta believe me, okay? And don’t laugh.”

Sara looked skeptical, but agreed nonetheless. “Alright..?”

And so, Shane started from the beginning. From the trip over to his walk to the beach to his existential crisis on the rock in the water to meeting Ryan. The entire time, Sara was staring at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. Shane didn’t blame her.

“... And then he said ‘I’ll come back tomorrow. I like you, Shane Madej.’ And then he swam away, and I came home, and then you showed up.” He finished, getting a moment of awkward silence in return.

The first response he got from Sara was the tilt of her head and a, “Are you… on something?”

Shane blinked. “Wha-no? I don’t do that stuff.”

Sara’s shocked expression didn’t leave her face. “But mermaids aren’t real.”

Shane shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe they’re not. I don’t believe in ghosts, or demons, or… you know, fairies or whatever. And I still don’t really believe in merpeople, but I know what I saw was real.”

It was obvious Sara was trying not to snicker. Bless her for sparing his last bits of sanity. Suddenly, Shane got a surge of confidence. He knew what he saw; he saw a gorgeous merman and he saw the light reflecting off of his green-blue tail, making it shine and glimmer. He was either sane and lucky or fucking batshit crazy (and he was rooting for the former) and he was going to prove it. “I can prove what I saw.”

Sara, who was staring at a corner of his room, suddenly became interested. “Oh?”  
“Yup. Come with me. Tomorrow morning. We can wait for Ryan there, and then I can prove to you that I actually saw him.” Shane heard himself and recognized how goddamn ridiculous he sounded, hell, he kinda sounded like Ryan himself. 

Sara stayed silent for a moment, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t have anything to do tomorrow, so sure. I’ll come.” She gasped a little, looking at Shane like she had figured everything out. “What if Ryan is actually an _alien_?”__

_ _“_What_?” Shane sputtered, taken aback. “Aliens aren’t real.”_ _

_ _Sara shrugged. “I guess that’s another thing we can agree to disagree on.”_ _

_ _𓆉_ _

_ _The next morning, Sara showed up in front of Shane’s doorstep with a sketchbook and pencils in hand, her eyes looking as bright and curious as ever._ _

_ _Shane was barely awake when she knocked on the door, blinking dazed at her eager expression. _ _

_ _“So!” She said, ever-positive, “Are you gonna take me to see the merma-”_ _

_ _“Shh! No! Not here,” Shane loudly shushed her. “Wait, just a second.” And he slammed the door in her face. A few moments later, he came out with actual clothes on; a hawaiian tee and khaki shorts. His glasses were clumsily slid on his nose; Shane didn’t have time to put in his contacts. As much as he didn’t want to admit it to Sara (who, he predicted, would be all smug because of it) he was very excited to see Ryan again. It kept him up last night, thinking about everything that would happen._ _

_ _Sara grinned at him, and the two of them headed down the gravel path, towards the beach._ _

_ _It was quite a nice day, a sweet cloudless tuesday morning in eastern Massachusetts. The walk there was silent until Sara spoke up. “So, what’s he like?”_ _

_ _Shane turned to him, confused. “What’s who like?”_ _

_ _Sara snorted. “Your mer-boyfriend.”_ _

_ _“My merboyf- he is not my boyfriend! We’ve met once!” Shane’s cheeks heated up at her comment. “And I thought you didn’t believe in this, in…” he gestured his hand around wildly, “in my… _situation_.”_ _

_ _“I don’t,” Sara admitted, “But I think it’s cute how you sound like you’re in love with him from just talking to him._ _

_ _“I am not in love with him! I don’t even remember telling you that I’m...” Shane trailed off._ _

_ _“Oh, I had no idea which way you swung. Just thought it was cute, was all.” Sars clutched her sketchbook to her chest proudly, and walked ahead of Shane like she’d figured out a big secret. Even though Shane’s sexuality wasn’t really a secret anymore. He came out to his whole extended family a year ago, although the first time he’d told one of his friends was in eighth grade (Curly, if you must know. He was already out as gay so Shane assumed he wouldn’t get any bad reactions from him). _ _

_ _They reached the beach, and they both took off their flip flops. The light scratch of the warm sand beneath his feet really soothed Shane, at times like these where he was, admittedly, a bit nervous to see Ryan again. He quite liked the merman, and he didn’t want to scare him away, or anything like that._ _

_ _Shane said, “Over here,” and lead Sara to the rock where Shane met Ryan. They flinched as their feet hit the cool water; a sharp contrast to the warm summer air. They hopped on the rock, and waited._ _

_ _After an awkwardly silent moment, Sara pulled out her sketchbook. “What are you doing?” Shane asked, though it was obvious. _ _

_ _“Drawing.” Said Sara, “I don’t know how long we’re gonna wait for this guy, could be hours. That’s why I brought my sketchbook. The beach and ocean is a pretty place and fun to draw, too.”_ _

_ _Shane hadn’t thought about the wait, and he stayed silent as he considered. Sara was right, it could be a while until Ryan came. He didn’t say when he would come, just that it would be today. Shane ultimately decided he would wait here until sunset for Ryan to come, anyways. He had met a fucking _merman,_ goddamnit. He was going to do whatever it took to see him again. Maybe if he called him, Ryan would remember and get his scaled ass over to his skeptical friend. (Which, sounded ridiculous in his mind, because usually he was the skeptic in these situations!)_ _

_ _“Ryan!” He called, bringing a hand to cup his mouth to raise the volume of his voice. Sara stopped her sketching for a moment, side-eyeing him and raising an eyebrow. Shane decided to ignore her. “Ryan! _Ryan!_ Pal! It’s Shane!”_ _

_ _“You sound ridiculous,” Sara deadpanned._ _

_ _“Ryan! My fishy friend! My clammy compadre! My barnacle buddy!” Shane continued to yell. After a moment of waiting, nothing happened. He sighed. “When will he get here?” He asked, mostly to himself._ _

_ _“Maybe, you just hallucinated, and he doesn’t exist.” Sara offered, sounding bored. No, no, no, Sara couldn’t leave! They were so close to seeing Ryan!_ _

_ _“No, no, he’s real. I saw him… I took a piece of trash out of his fucking tail! I can’t be crazy, right…?” Shane panicked for a moment. Was he crazy?_ _

_ _Sara asked the same. “Are you sure you aren’t just losing your mind because you didn’t want to come here in the first place and you’re super bored? Maybe your mind needed something to entertain itself,” she went back to her sketching, “It’s possible.”_ _

_ _“I…” Shane was about to say something, but he trailed off when the wind suddenly changed direction. He noticed a figure coming from far out in the water. It was him! Ryan! He was here! “RYAN!” He shouted, standing up on the rock and waving to him._ _

_ _The figure got closer and closer, and eventually, about ten feet away from the rock, came above the water’s surface. It was Ryan! Even from a bit of a distance, Shane still thought he looked really pretty. He noticed he was staring at something: Sara. Was Ryan afraid of Sara? “Oh, uh, this is my friend! Her name is Sara! She came to see you, too! Uh…” Shane trailed off as he looked at his friend; her face was drained of color, her sketchbook being set aside. Shane couldn’t help but feel a little pride at being proven right; that this _was_ real. “She won’t hurt you, buddy. Promise._ _

_ _“C’mon,” He gently guided the suddenly-timid Ryan as he swam closer, bit by bit with big brown eyes. “There,” Shane grinned once Ryan reached the rock. “Sara,” he turned to his friend, “say hello to Ryan! Ryan, Sara, Sara, Ryan.” He introduced the two._ _

_ _“U-uhm, hey, man.” Sara stuttered. “I- sorry, I didn’t think you’d actually be-”_ _

_ _“-Real?” Ryan finished for her with one of his signature grins, arms crossed across his chest. “That’s fine. Shane’s actually the first human I’ve… met.” He glanced at Shane with an expression so soft that Shane couldn’t read it._ _

_ _“Yeah, yeah. So, a merman, huh? You’re not making this up?” Sara asked._ _

_ _Ryan nodded, lifting the end of his tail out of the water. “Yup. This is all real. I don’t know why I’d be making it up, anyways. Being a merman kinda sucks.”_ _

_ _Shane furrowed his brows, and Sara tilted her head. “Why?”_ _

_ _“I dunno, I wouldn’t say I have to sneak out here? But,” The merman sighed, “It’s kinda like sneaking. My moms are pretty protective of me, especially around humans.” He chuckled, “To be honest, I didn’t really believe in you guys either until I met Shane.” _ _

_ _“Moms?” Shane asked with a smile._ _

_ _“Oh, I- are you guys not supportive of that stuff? Because I heard that you guys don’t really like that so-” Ryan blubbered, embarrassed, but Shane cut him off._ _

_ _“No, not all humans are like that. I was just wondering.” Shane smiled at Ryan, maybe a little too wide, and Shane swore he saw a little color on Ryan’s cheeks as he smiled back at him. _ _

_ _“Are you… adopted?” Sara asked, curious. Shane shot her a glare._ _

_ _“What’s adoption?” Was the response from the confused merman._ _

_ _“Y’know, like… are you a biological child of your moms?” She clarified._ _

_ _“Oh!” Ryan exclaimed, “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?” _ _

_ _Shane gave Sara a Look that meant Sara should leave it at that, so she just shrugged and did so. Shane noticed a necklace laid out on Ryan’s chest. It was a seashell, a tiny conch shell, and it glimmered in the sunlight. “Hey, what’s that? He pointed to the necklace.”_ _

_ _“Oh, this was a gift from my uncle. It’s apparently cursed, or something.”_ _

_ _Shane snorted. “Curses aren’t real,” He said._ _

_ _Ryan frowned. “Curses are about as real as ghosts!”_ _

_ _“Those aren’t real either.” _ _

_ _“That’s stupid, of course they’re real! Why wouldn’t the supernatural exist? Why wouldn’t there be some sort of spirit of a person left behind after death?” Ryan asked him._ _

_ _“Because it’s bullshit, that’s why.” Shane answered, getting off of the rock, closer to Ryan. “Can I see it?” He asked, reaching towards the shell._ _

_ _“Just be careful, I don’t know what it does.” Ryan warned as Shane went to touch it._ _

_ _“Nothing is wrong with it, Ryan. We’re fine.” Little did Shane know that that was very incorrect._ _

_ _As he went to touch the shell, as soon as his fingers made contact they were all swallowed up by an extremely bright light._ _

_ _All three of them yelled in distress. It was painful, like hearing an extremely high-pitched noise, or looking directly into the sun. _ _

_ _When it stopped, all three of them were dazed, blinking their eyes open in shock at what just happened._ _

_ _“What,” Sara’s voice shook, “the FUCK. Was_ that?!_”_ _

_ _“I-I don’t know. Gosh I’m so sorry,” Shane turned to Ryan, who was clutching the rock with a strong grip. “Ryan, are you okay?”_ _

_ _Ryan lifted his head to look between Sara and Shane. “Guys,” his voice was low. “Something just fucking happened.”_ _

_ _Shane and Sara furrowed their brows in confusion. “What?” Shane asked. “Are you hurt?”_ _

_ _“No, I…” Ryan stuttered, searching for the right words to say. “I think I have fucking _legs_.”_ _

_ _ _to be continued…_ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know none of them are LGBTQ+ in real life, from what we know, just as a disclaimer.
> 
> Also I dedicate this chapter to my wife Sheri, who doesn't ship shyan but encourages me on everything i do and man i just love her lots!! 
> 
> tumblr: femmebergara
> 
> until next time, pals!

**Author's Note:**

> follow me other places :)
> 
> instagram: amourbergara  
tumblr: femmebergara (i think)
> 
> the best part about this is that shane is out to his family n it just makes me so happy :))) stay tuned for chapter two!
> 
> the title is from 'gold love' by maren morris <3


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